WinnowingFans
by liltrick89
Summary: A short story that takes place right after the Odyssey... Odysseus goes to make his sacrifice, but Poseidon has other plans.


            Revenge lurked in the murky waters of the Mediterranean. Vengeance seeped into everyone's heart who had the ill luck to disturb the waters. It set off an epidemic, people spreading like a cancer around the country, hunting offenders of old wrongs. This plague had a root, and a person to blame. That person's name was Odysseus, the wandering Greek hero of the Trojan War.

             The instigator of the revenge chain was none other than the god Poseidon. His reason to this feeling was his son. His son, the Cyclops, had been his pride and joy; the receiver of Poseidon's many boasts and compliments. This son had lately come to misfortune. Odysseus had blinded the Cyclops after the latter held him and his crew captive for food. Poseidon had made sure Odysseus' journey home was a hard one, he obeyed the principle of "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth". However, he suddenly felt that wasn't enough. Time was running out as well, Odysseus was on his way to make a sacrifice that would force Poseidon's good will. 

It was all because of Poseidon's niece, Pallas Athene, she had taken a liking to Odysseus, and would rage war in her own intellectual way if he refused Odysseus' apology. He was going to have to get this problem solved and fast. He wanted more than a sacrifice from Odysseus, but he couldn't well kill him for fear of Athene's anger. So Poseidon continued to lurk in the depths of the Mediterranean, his need for revenge growing stronger everyday and infecting more and more people. Finally, after many days, he had an idea. The best thing about it was that he had already set it into action.

***

            Odysseus wiped the sweat from his brow. The heat was unbearable in this part of Greece. He toyed with the idea of taking a dip in the sea nearby, but resisted. He needed to make a sacrifice to Poseidon, the sooner the better. He picked up the oar he had been using as a crutch before and flung it over his shoulder. Would anyone ever refer to it as a winnowing fan?

            He walked into the town; he needed to find someone who could tell him where he was as this place was out of his knowledge of Achaean geography. He examined the crowd in front of him, searching for someone with noble features. There were none, and he couldn't see a palace anywhere. Odysseus sighed, he would have to ask peasant where he was and forgo the luxury of gifts and a soft bed to sleep in. As his eyes scanned the crowd his eyes narrowed. Everyone was wearing the same expression on his face - anger. He shrank back, but then walked on. After all, he was Odysseus; no one could match him in wits… he had nothing to fear from asking directions from someone of lesser blood. 

            He approached a fruit vendor, and was about to ask the location when he felt the hairs on the back of his next stand up. Someone was watching him, and very closely. He turned around, once again examining the crowd. His eyes rested on a youth around the age of his son Telemachus. The youth was tall and muscular, with a pale complexion and a head full of golden locks. The youth looked like a god.

            Odysseus froze, this youth bore an uncanny resemblance to the god Apollo. He focussed on the youth's chocolate brown eyes, they were full of anger and hate. The youth blinked, and when he opened his eyes again revenge seemed to leak through them. Odysseus focused harder on the youth's peculiar eyes, he could have sworn he saw the waves of the ocean in them. With another blink the youth's eyes were back to normal, and he was approaching Odysseus.

            Odysseus racked his brain, why would the god Apollo be angry with him. He hadn't done anything. He thought furiously as he tried to find something to say, but he had still thought of nothing when the youth reached him.

            "You are Odysseus, son of Laertes, the wandering Achaean hero of the Trojan War correct?" the youth asked, his voice sounding like bells.

            "Yes, I am. And you must be the god Apollo," Odysseus replied and would have continued if the youth hadn't stopped him by beginning to chuckle.

            "I am not a god, I am a mere mortal," the laughter faded and the eyes once again turned back to their cold state, "I wonder if you remember one of your proudest heroic moments... do you recall how you killed the Suitors? Especially Eurymachus?"

            Odysseus hesitated, confused. "I remember, I slaughtered them for their crimes…" he said slowly, for once not being able to think of a witty remark.

            "You feel no regret?"

            "None."

            "Unsheethe your sword then, Odysseus, destroyer of families and cold hearted villain. See, I give you a new title, I find it's more fitting than 'Odysseus, wandering hero.'" The youth spat the last part out, his pleasant facial features twisting into a sneer.

            Odysseus sucked in his mouth and his eyes grew wide. Never had he been thus insulted… this was worse than during his stay at Phaeacian country. He unsheethed his sword, "I demand your name, it's only appropriate that I know the name that dares insults me so."

            "Lucius is my name, remember it now, but it will do you no good. You killed my brother Eurymachus. You butchered him like a hunter butchers a pig. Now, I will avenge his unworthy death." The youth said coldly, his face radiating with hate.

            "Your brother Eurymachus, deserved his death. He took his life in his hands when he courted my wife. I notice that you are not in as well of shape as your brother, I shall cut you down quicker than I did him." Odysseus replied, dropped the oar that hung over his shoulder, and struck out with his sword, aiming for Lucius' thigh.

            Lucius blocked him easily, "You are not in so good of a physical shape either, and you struck my brother down unarmed. I have taken the sword since I was an infant, you will not find an easy kill here." The two continued to fight, both realizing they had met their match in the sword.

            Finally, Odysseus decided to make conversation, in an attempt to distract the youth. "What brought you to this area? Were you attempting to hunt offenders of old wrongs?"

            "I heard of the special powers of the waters here. I desired to disturb the murky Mediterranian waters with my hand, to test and see what they say is right. When I left, I realized I was wasting my time. I set out to find you, and low and behold, you appear right in front of me." Lucius blocked Odysseus' sword once again and his sword flashed, as its' blade grazed Odysseus' ear. "I will kill you for what you did, Odysseus, sacker of cities." He replied calmly.

A crowd had now gathered around the two fighters, and they were taking bets on who would win. Odysseus' anger raged within him as he realized that they were all predicting and easy win for Lucius. He would have to show them. He faked to the left before striking Lucius' exposed arm. Lucius gasped, as he dumbly looked out of the blood poring out of the wound. His face grew paler, and he gulped. "'Tis nothing but a flesh wound…" he muttered to himself, before turning his beautiful cold eyes at Odysseus. "I will kill you, Odysseus." He declared breathily, reflecting how much the sword fight had affected him, "If you leave me here, I will hunt you down. You will not escape my vengeance, my rath!" Lucius took a deep breath and stepped forward, onto the oar. He growled in frustration, the blood continuing to pour from his wound. "Someone, get this winnowing-fan out of my way!" he demanded. 

Odysseus' eyes widened and he looked all around him. The sea was just there, but there were no ships on it. Like the people knew nothing of it. His eyes scanned the crowd, they were eating food, but with no salt on it. Odysseus turned and sprinted to his ship, he would kill Lucius later, he needed to make his sacrifice first.

***

            Poseidon roared with anger as he saw Lucius become wounded. He had made sure his waters had infected the boy. He was positive that he would attack Odysseus, and he had. However, he hadn't expected the little fool to set him off running to make a sacrifice. In the form of a old mortal man he hobbled out of the crowd and walked over to Lucius, who now had a crowd of women around him, each attempting to clean his wound. "Your revenge is pointless now, Lucius, brother of Eurymachus. Therefore, I remove it from you. I advise you now leave, and never show your face to Odysseus again." With a wave of his hand, Lucius' eyes cleared up and the hate and anger were gone. The youths eyes were smiling and he began to talk to the women cheerfully, as if Poseidon had said nothing.

            Poseidon left, limping through the crowd to the ocean. He leapt into the water and began to brood once more, when a voice filled his ears.

            "Poseidon, the Earthshaker, I offer this sacrifice to you…" it was Odysseus' voice.

            Poseidon growled, and waved his hand slightly, his way of accepting the sacrifice. He began to brood again, this time he had a new enemy… who truly was the root of all his problems. His sister, Pallas Athene.


End file.
